For the leader is sports, they sure don't get hockey. Even us fans know that the Pens are not the team to beat this year. They have gotten worse on paper than the team that went out last year. Do we hope the blue line will somehow play better? Of course, but they are not the team to beat just yet. IMO

"On paper, Pittsburgh is the team to beat in hockey's toughest division"

As a tandem? You cant play two goailies and there is NO WAY that Biron plays a playoff game so advantage Rangers.

I was referring to coming out on top in the division race when saying they have the best tandum. Goalie advantage obviously goes to the Rangers in a playoff scenario. But again, thats the only area the Rangers win out in. Could goaltending only be enough? Sure it could. But we aren't talking about what-ifs in this thread. We're talking about "on paper".

Damn the pens are not as bad as their playoffs were and they aren't as good as their win streak but they are definitely closer to the team that won x amount of games in a row than the joke of a playoffs they had.

I honestly think this will be a sort of transition/re-tooling year too, but I don't think it's crazy for people to see the Pens as serious Cup contenders. The Rangers probably got better, but what other top teams in the East improved?

Regardless of what happened last season, when you have two potential 50 goal scorers, a 40 goal scorer, numerous 20 goal scorers, and one of the top Dmen and goalies in the league, you are going to be favored in almost every matchup.